Underwater Enlightenment

Scuba diving’s greatest rewards come once I am out of the water.

True, I enjoy seeing blue-spotted stingrays lurking in dark crevices; parrot fish, with their rich hues of green and purple; and the constant anticipation for my first whale shark to loom in the crystal clear depths. However, I perceive diving as an act of meditation.  Having achieved neutral buoyancy, I glide gracefully in a weightless dimension, imagining I am flying as I soak up a magical world most people will never experience. And when it is over, the effects of this meditation manifest.

I climb from the water, and this absolute peace washes over me as I break down my gear. I sit, then, upon my perch at the front of the rocking boat, my feet dangling over the deck.

Take in the glassy emerald green seas stretching out before me.

The island paradise juts from the ocean, quaint bungalows speckling the palm-blanketed hills.

The sun caresses my refreshed body, and my doubts and fears are forgotten.

In this relaxed state, naturally high from underwater meditation, I am reminded why I came to Thailand in the first place—why I decided to sell my truck and all my furniture to travel the world. Right then, my heart knows I can continue this lifestyle for at least another five months if I try—perhaps forever.

I feel free, and that is all I need.

A Long-overdue Return

 

            It has been so long since I’ve written in this blog.  In that sense, I suppose I have failed. 

But I haven’t failed completely. 

Though I didn’t record it, I still made my journey.  I have come so far, and I am going to continue down this path.  My life has changed, evolved, and it feels right.  I have grabbed a hold of my moment of life.

            I started and failed a business.  I started another business and succeeded, but it was going to lock me down in one location for a long time.  I sold my truck and began riding my bicycle everywhere to get in shape and do my part to curb global warming.   I went back to university to study international business and spent the summer in Europe, spending two months traveling around Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, France, and Sicily.  When I got home, my plan was to buy a motorcycle with the money from my truck and fulfill another one of my dreams.

            But when I got home things changed.  I am in the process of writing a memoir about my story so I will not go into details now, but basically something horrible happened that destroyed my life and took everything away from me.  I sat back and looked at my situation and realized I didn’t really mind so much.  I suddenly had regained my freedom, and I still had some money from selling my truck.  I decided I wanted to keep trying to seize the day.  I was going to use the little bit I had left and go see the world—try to put myself in a situation where I had to find a way to support the life I desired.

I am in Thailand as I write this.  I have been living here for five months now.  If I can help it, I am not going home.  It is nighttime as I write this, and I have to get up early in the morning to go scuba diving.  Another day of crystal clear water and palm-lined shores from the boat.  Currently, I am in a dive master internship program which will provide me with the means to work in the most beautiful places in the world—yet another attempt to keep the dream alive.

It is amazing how at ease you feel when you are pursuing your dreams.  Upon reviewing this blog, I noticed how many items I have crossed off of my list, and the funny thing is, every time I accomplish something I think of new items to add.  It is as if opening myself up to these new experiences also opens doors to corridors I never knew existed, or corridors I thought were off limits to me. 

I see now I should have kept blogging through it all.  I should have recorded my journey.  But I am back now, and the journey is far from over.  If I can keep the dream alive, I will have no shortage of things to write about, will I now?

Money has gotten short.  At one point, I didn’t have one dollar to my name, and no way to fly anywhere else in the world.  It was frightening, but I kept pushing, and just when things seem to get the worst, something always comes through.  Interestingly, this was the same way it always went back home when I was broke.  It seems no matter where you are or what you’re doing, you always find a way to make it work. 

And I’m trying to make this work.  Not only am I in this dive program, but I am working on several projects as well.  I am starting multiple blogs.  I wrote a novel and am busy with the first redraft (check out the first chapter!).  I am writing a memoir.  I am setting up an eBay business.  I am setting up a website to display the poetry I wrote in the most trying period of my life, in which my anger and self-pity threatened to consume me.  And I have many other ideas and projects in progress as well.   It all sounds like so much, but I do not feel stressed at all because I am only doing things I want to do.  Everyday is an adventure—and everyday I am doing something new and amazing.

Yet, I suppose the true test of my efforts is whether or not I succeed.  Will I be able to continue this when all my furniture has been sold and I spend all of my money?  I suppose I will see, but the thing is, I don’t feel like the dream would be dead even if I had to leave Thailand.  I could go get some temporary work somewhere and save some more money.  I would already have a job if I had not unknowingly come straight to a country which makes it so difficult for a “farang” to work.  I could learn to live on less and continue pursuing means of income.  Even if I have to resort to a temporary stay in the states, it would allow me to do things I never got to do—like hike through the Grand Canyon or ride a bicycle to Yosemite National Park. 

I have tasted this freedom, so for me there is no going back.  I have no material desires.  I only crave experience.  And there are people out there living this kind of life.  I see that now.  Tim Ferriss, author of ”The 4-Hour Workweek,” was not lying.  These people exist.  Some of them work hard to live their life of adventure and travel.  Some of them find ways to work not so hard.  The point is they are no smarter or more talented than I am.  If they can do it, I can certainly do it as well.  And so can you.

I apologize for leaving you behind.

I apologize for not inviting you on my journey like I promised.

But I am back now.

I would like you to come with me.

Take my hand—are you ready for this?

Make A Difference By Being The Difference

Do you want to change the world?  Start by changing your self.

Be the difference you want to see in the world, and your world will change.

Live a life others can admire.  Make a vow to not lie, to not judge, to not cause unnecessary pain.

Challenge yourself to practice the Buddhist principle of Right Speech, which instructs us to never say anything which isn’t both truthful and helpful.

If you are still in school, use every single assignment your teacher gives you to make a difference.  Go all out and try to inspire your teacher, if no one else.  At work, use your job to do the same.  Truly realize the meaning of your work and contribution.  Make every single smile, every single conversation, and every single action count by envisioning the minutes as building blocks with which you build a meaningful day.  Even if you only inspire one single person with your efforts, it will be worth it.

Believe change is possible.

I have not always been a postive person.  I wasn’t dealt a very great hand in life.  My father was a heroin addict and spent my childhood in prison, while my mom struggled with alcoholism to raise three young men on a tight budget.  I remember helping my father dig meat out of the dumpster behind the grocery store when I was a young child.

In my eyes, the world was against me from the start, and it didn’t take long for this attitude to cause problems.   I became violent, lashing out repeatedly, until my school threatened to expel me unless I spoke to someone about my anger.  I once broke a man’s jaw for fifty dollars.  Many people who knew me were convinced I was going to follow in my father’s footsteps, and, for a while, I accepted this thought as fate.

I was unfaithful in my relationships.  Like a lot of people who grew up in my generation, I grew up listening to rap degrade women, and cheating became the rule in relationships rather than the exception.  Honesty was one of my most treasured values, but somehow I didn’t think lying to women was really lying. 

For a long time, I went on like this, drinking heavily and barely skirting around brushes with the law.  Then one day, I sat up and took a serious look at my life, and I didn’t like what I saw.  I didn’t like who I was becoming, so I decided to change course.

I’m writing all this because I want to show you we are not slaves to our behaviour; change is possible if we apply ourselves.  I am an example of someone who stepped back as a young man and finally said, “This is not the kind of person I want to be.”  If I could do that, with no real guidance and no one telling me my actions were wrong, anyone can do it.

Use your very presence on this Earth to change it forever. 

Refuse to be a follower in a society that encourages indifference but glorifies violence and materialism.  Make the sacrifice of being different and make a conscious effort to brighten your little corner of the world.  With enough lights shining in the many corners of the world, society can find its way through the dark.

Believe.  Believe compassion can thrive in the human heart and a simple smile can can mean everything to a stranger who needs it. 

Be genuine.  Be genuine in your relationships with your friends, your relationships with your family, and your relationships with your lovers.  By doing so–you will inspire others to be just as genuine.

Dare yourself to be a Gandhi, a Martin Luther King, or even a Mother Theresa.  These were all amazing people, but what made them amazing?  They were amazing because they were regular humans who decided they wouldn’t settle for less than truth.  They were amazing because they lived with passion and poured every ounce of their souls into their dreams.  You can do the same.  Your name can secure its place in history if you live with enough passion, or at least secure its place in the hearts of everyone who has the pleasure to know you. 

As others notice your efforts, they may change as well.  One simple kind gesture may prompt someone else to reevaluate their impact on others and carry on your legacy, thus allowing your actions to echo across the world through the corridors of human interaction.

Watch the movie, “Pay It Forward” again, and this time put the concept into action. 

All I am asking you to do is act on feelings which already exist in your heart, because, regardless of our mistakes and shortcomings, every single person knows the difference between right and wrong.  It is in our hearts.

Dorothy Day, founder of the Catholic Work Movement, wrote: “People say, what is the sense of our small effort?  They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time.  A pebble cast into a pond causes ripples that spread in all directions.”

Find the courage to be conscious of the ripple your life creates and the meaning of your life will live on long after you have gone from this world.

Satisfying Wanderlust

Lately, I cannot get my mind off my list of Ways to Make Your Moment Count.  I have a severe case of wanderlust, and I am determined to find a way to make money and start traveling at the same time.  On a similar thread, I would like to find a way to accomplish these goals and help promote a green lifestyle.  How can I do all these things at once? 

One idea I have come up with is to turn this into an eco-travelogue.  Since I still need to come up with the money to really start traveling, I will start here at my new home in Santa Cruz by exploring ways to appreciate the local natural wonders with a minimal impact on the environment.  I will also include resources for people actually traveling in this area for transportation and lodging.  While I am still in Santa Cruz, I will be able to come home and sleep at night, and my adventures will be limited to my days off since I still have to work to pay my bills.  But it is my hope that I can build traffic and start venturing into other areas of California and America, until I can build the online income that will allow me to venture further into the world. 

Santa Cruz is a good place to start because it is well known for its environmental awareness and natural beauty.  I can get up close and personal with Nature here by surfing, hiking, and kayaking.  As a traveler, these activities break down the gap between man and his environment.  They take the tourist away from shopping and back to the basics of human nature.  And that is what travel (and life) should really be about.

Travel writing has always been a dream of mine, but is it already played out?  Can it still be done?  Would an eco-travel slant be enough to set my blog apart?  I guess anything in life can be achieved if you really put out enough effort.

Finding Freedom Through Self-Employment

The other night I was reminded of why it is so important to work for yourself and take control of your own destiny.  I am currently waiting tables at a restaurant in a popular tourist destination.  I just went to bartending school so I could get a job where I could work minimum hours for regular pay, giving me time to work on setting up my own business.  Before I moved to this town, I had my own landscaping business, but after a real estate deal I was working on went sour, I decided I was ready for a change, so I picked up and moved.  Now I’m waiting tables again to get my foot in the door on this bartending gig.  I also like bartending because I can go anywhere and pick up a job in some of the best places in the world to live. 

Anyhow, when I was getting off work the other night, the current bartender was complaining about a manager who constantly hounds her about the most ridiculous things.  For example, she singled her out for putting one too many cherries in a kid’s drink.  This manager always finds reasons to pick on her.  I eavesdropped a little as she vented to an older waitress who had worked at the restaurant for about fifteen years.  The older waitress told her she needed to just do as she was told, no matter if every manager was telling her to make her cocktail a different way or not.  If you know anything about mixing cocktails and the thousands of different recipes which all have hundreds of variations, this is a tremendous strain to put on an already taxed memory.  But this is not what bothered me.  What bothered me about the conversation was when the older “veteran” waitress told her, “You just have to obey her.”  Obey her!  I could not believe my ears.  This woman has been in this line of work so long she has completely taken on the servant mentality.  The money isn’t that good!

This reminded me how important it was to work for yourself.  Living your life like a slave, at the mercy of other people’s power trips and personality flaws is a risky and miserable existence.  No matter what you are doing with your life, set your sights on creating your own income.  Do not let other control your destiny.  The only reason I chose to put myself in this position is because I wanted a lot of free time and it was easy to pick up a job like this in a new town.  I am already experimenting with blogs, writing an ebook, and setting up a business here in town.  But you don’t have to take on so much to work for yourself.  I just have a habit of spreading myself thin.  Pick one interest and learn as much as you can about it in your free time.  If you don’t feel you have a purpose, go find one.  The worst thing you can do for yourself is give up hope and develop a servant mentality.  Every person is capable of so much if they apply themself. 

So if you work for someone else, think of your job as a temporary stepping stone to self-employment, whether it is the first step or a source of income you need to fund your venture.  Just get out there and hold your dream firmly in your heart and mind.  Find a way to employ yourself, and you will find freedom.

Eleven Green Business Ideas

THE FUTURE IS GREEN BUSINESS.  If you haven’t caught on to this, you need to start paying attention.  Global warming, as you have probably realized, is no longer speculation.  It is real, and the consequences are approaching faster than anyone imagined.  The American government has already dropped the ball, but, ironically, American capitalists are picking up that ball and running with it.

We are on the brink of what will be the biggest economic revolution in the world’s history.  Those who catch on to this in time stand to make some serious bread, and what’s more, you can now make your millions and feel good about it.  Starting your own business means no boss, you make your own hours, and you get the profits.  Green businesses cater to customers who are committed to a cause.  If you support that cause, they will be committed to you.  Here is a list of eleven  green business ideas to get your creative juices flowing. 

 1.  Eco-friendly House-cleaning.  Use only non-toxic all-natural cleaning products.  Brainstorm other ways to not only implement green standards but to inspire your customers to think green.  For example, supply new customers with brochures that outline ways to save energy in the home and provide a list of local alternative energy installers who could assist them in taking the next step.  House-cleaning is unique because it is up-close and personal, providing the opportunity to teach others how to have an eco-friendly home-life.

2.  Hybrid or Biodiesel Taxi Service.

3.  Green Remodeling Company.  Another slant on this business for someone with a lack of construction knowledge or proper financing would be to broker out existing services.  Be the middleman for the homeowner who wants to implement green living but doesn’t know where to start.  Handle phone calls, haggle with the specific comapnies involved in the process, and coordinate the comings and goings of the laborers for a flat fee.

4.  Bio-diesel Conversion Shop. 

5.  Organic Catering.  Organic food is good for the environment not only because it avoids the use of toxic chemicals and pesticides but because organic foods are usually bought locally, which means less fuel burned for distribution.

6.  Organic At-home Chef.  As they say, staying in is the new going out!  Go the extra mile with the at-home chef idea by keeping your clients involved and showing them hands-on how to prepare healthy, nutritious organic meals for themselves.

7.  Organic Fast Food Restaurant.  Many Americans don’t give up their usual eating habits because they don’t have time to cook and prepare their own meals with their fast-paced lifestyle.  Give them an alternative that supports their fast-paced lifestyles while allowing them to make necessary changes to their eating habits.

8.  Eco-tourism Guide.  Do you live in a tourist town?  Set up a local guiding service or information serice showing the local attractions with a minimal amount of impact and an up-close interaction with nature.  Most tourist traps became popular due to natural beauty but have become focused on shopping and blowing money.  Bring it back to the basics.  Guide your tour to the local natural food restaurants.  Implement bicycle rides, kayaking tours, and hiking trips as an integrated means of getting a sense of place.  Include a tour of alternative-energy powered homes and businesses in your area.  Get creative!

8.   Bio-fuel or Hybrid Limo Service.  The upper class will lead the green revolution because they already have the discretionary income needed to create change in their lives and are more than willing to communicate their beliefs through their spending power.

9.  Bio-diesel Powered Hauling Service.  With raging gas prices and environmental concerns looming, many people are opting for smaller vehicles to increase fuel mileage.  Less trucks on the road means people will need to hire others to do their heavy work for them.

10.  Solar Panel Installer.  For training information, go to http://www.solartoday.org/2005/sept_oct05/dream_job.htm

11.  Green Business Consultant.  Many businesses want to change their ways but do not know where to start.  Overlook their transformation and show them how to implement new strategies. 

These ideas are only the tip of the iceberg.  Any business can become a green business by changing simple strategies and offering slightly different products.  Come up with a fresh approach no one has thought of yet or take a traditional home business idea, and paint it green.  As we proceed into the green revolution, the customers will come to you.

 Green Business is a purpose worth pursuing!

The Not-So-Secret Law of Attraction

There are too many people in this world who lack the courage to chase their heart’s desire.  Too many people settle for a dead-end job putting money in someone else’s pocket instead of using the brain God gave them to build their own streams of income.

Stop living your life for others.

What is it you want to do?

What would you be doing if you had no limitations?

What would you be doing if anything was possible?

I truly believe that it is possible to do anything you want.  As Napoleon Hill wrote in Think And Grow Rich, “Anything the mind can conceive, it can achieve.”

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the law of attraction.  This concept has appeared again and again throughout my life in a multitude of different books, but lately it his grown in popularity due to the sudden focus on the movie “The Secret.” 

If you have not seen this movie, you should.  Order it at www.thesecret.com or pick it up at Costco, just go check it out. 

This movie didn’t convince me the law of attraction was real; I already believed it.  I had a revelation very similar to Rhonda’s after reading book after book about business, personal development, and success.  However, I didn’t act on it with the discipline I should have.

The movie reminded me of what I already knew and offered encouraging words to motivate my spirit.

I went to research the movie more online and I found a lot of people criticizing the producers. 

In many of the posts, they are angry about the attention The Secret is getting, even though many of them admit the concept is somewhat true. 

If it’s true, what is their problem? 

Why are they so quick to point fingers and make negative accusations which only bring themselves and the message down?

Many writers claim the movie is a scam using excellent marketing and special effects.

Personally, I don’t believe it was very strong as far as persuasive films go, and I think the cinematic effects were pretty hokey.

But I also think watching this movie every once in a while is a great way to remind ourselves what can be accomplished when we think outside the box and an effective motivational tool for those who already believe in the concepts presented.  I mean, is anyone really going to be convinced by the people they chose for this film, who present no evidence, if they are not already open-minded people who have already decided the law of attraction is real? 

Many people are saying this “new” way of thinking is greedy, self-involved, and even sinful.  I have yet to come across any writings on the law of attraction that don’t urge people to use their potential to do good for the world.  Likewise, I have yet to come across any writings on the law of attraction that do not state that wealth is more than just money.

Many critics claim the law of attraction encourages people to sit idle and wait for riches to come their way.  Again, no material I have reviewed suggests we should sit on our butts and wait for good fortune to save us.  Rather, they all tell us that we must have an active role in the process. 

Isn’t “Acting” one of the main steps towards acquiring what you desire in The Secret?  They even show a woman who wants romance struggle against her tendency to isolate herself to exemplify how we must take initiative to pursue what is placed in front of us.

Whether or not the law of attraction is real, the power of visualization and positive thinking most certainly does have a huge effect on our lives. 

Suppose some “defenseless” reader were to believe the law of attraction could do good things for them and told himself day in and day out their dream would come true, visualizing it in their imagination everyday and constantly affirming to himself they were on the right path. 

In the end, if the law of attraction was merely a lofty idea, their subconscious would still soak up this idea and it would be as if written in stone.  I can assure you the great human mind would eventually bring such a hard-wired dream to light. 

What is so wrong with that?

No matter what you believe, believe something, and put this amazing tool to work.

Think of it as the law of attraction or the power of your subconscious.  There is much about the human brain we don’t know, but we do know it has the power to rewire itself, allowing us to become the difference we want to see in the world.   

If you believe, you can achieve.  Ignore the naysayers and chase your dreams. 

Some people say the film is a hoax because the “secret” is not a secret at all but something we have been hearing for years.  In many ways this is true. 

There are books dating back to the 1800′s, like The Science of Getting Rich, and the early 1900′s, like Think and Grow Rich, urging us to use the law of attraction in our everyday lives.   Similar teachings can be found in the Bible and in Buddhism.

The information may have been there, but most people don’t use it. 

Perhaps posing the law as a secret was a metaphor.  Afterall, it still is a secret to the majority of poor people who have never been exposed to these books and who work their lives away in prisons of self-pity.

There are many ways this film could have been more convincing, if anything than just by giving more details about people who use power of intention in their lives and scientists who are making new discoveries that defy everything we think we know about reality.

But instead of using the films weaknesses to tear apart the ideas, perhaps the cynics should address the fact that there are studies out there suggesting many of these claims are true, but they are often ignored by mainstream science.  The evidence is there for anyone who wishes to delve deeper.

Or perhaps we just need to remember the purpose of a documentary is to persuade.  The producers of this movie chose to persuade us to believe in the power of our minds.  How can you be angry with them for that?